This invention relates generally to a thrust bearing assembly joined to a selective washer, and more particularly to the retention mechanism holding the selective washer and the thrust bearing assembly together. The term "selective washer" refers to a washer selected to provide a shim of a predetermined thickness.
A current method to join a plastic selective washer to a thrust bearing assembly employs a dimpled outer cup mounted over the outer race to provide a radially outwardly extending bump or rib. The selective washer is then snapped over the bump or rib to allow the thrust bearing and selective washer to be handled as a unit. This method works well; however, the dimpled outer cup adds to the complexity and cost of the bearing assembly. Significantly, that current configuration allows the selective washer to be mounted on the dimpled outer cup from either direction. To reduce the chance that the selective washer is installed backwards, the thrust bearing is marked with a colored identification stripe or other identification mark. The stripe, however, adds to the cost of the bearing assembly and does not ensure positively that the selective washer will always be installed correctly.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one of more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.